Ukrainian priest beats up men who tried to repeat Pussy Riot "performance" in his church

Four Ukrainian men tried to repeat the Pussy Riot "performance" in a Ukrainian church in the early hours of November 9.

According to Ukrainian media reports, a group of men with stockings on their heads entered the church of St. Nicholas in the village of Barvinkiv, Verkhovyna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region, in the early hours of November 9.

The men, who turned out to be members of the local band Dick Revolt, planned to sing "Our Lady, drive Yanukovych away!" in the church. They were detained and handed over to the police by village priest Father Vasyl.

"We have been playing punk rock for two years, but have yet to become famous. A friend once told us about the Russian group Pussy Riot and they way they gained worldwide fame. We decided to repeat their success. We named ourselves Dick Revolt, made a funny song about President Yanukovych, bought ladies stockings in various colors (black, white, and nude) and were ready to conduct our first performance in the church. However, a priest armed with a thurible came out of nowhere. He used it as a nunchuck. We have not been beaten in this way for a long time," Liubomyr Tolokonnykivsky, a member of the band, said.

Father Vasyl said he was putting out the candles preparing to leave when he saw men carrying "guitar-like objects" and wearing ladies stockings on their heads entering the church.

"I thought they were looters and rushed to defend the church property. If I had known that they had such a noble political mission, I would have even called our deacon to help. He is a good baritone," the priest said.

The men did not spend long in the detention facility. After meeting with them, Father Vasyl withdrew his police report and the men were released due to the absence of evidence of a crime.